Electrical connection block



`lune 7, 1938.

J. BLAKESLEE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BLOCK Filed June :23,l 1937 Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BLOCK Henry J. Blakeslee, Marlboro, Conn., assignor to The States Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application June 23, 1937, Serial No. 149,908

3 Claims.

This invention relates to those blocks which are interposed in electrical circuits between the line terminals and meters that are connected for measuring the loads in the circuits, and more particularly to blocks that have means for opening the circuits and for facilitating tests of the meters.

'I'he object of the invention is the production of a block of the character mentioned which has a minimum number of parts that are cheap to manufacture and assemble and can be easily and quickly manipulated for ensuring an efflcient closing or safe opening of the circuits in which they are connected.

In attaining this end the blocks are provided. with conducting terminal plates fastened on an insulating base in pairs with their inner ends aligned but spaced from each other, the inner end of one of each pair, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, being forked. Between the spaced ends of a pair of terminal plates is a threaded stud with a member having a spherical surface adapted to be engaged with one face of the plates, and with a member having a at surface adapted to be engaged with the other face of the plates, one of these members being threaded on the stud so that the members may be drawn together in order to clamp the ends of the terminal plates between them and bridge the intervening space, or separated so they may be moved to electrically disconnect the ends of the terminal plates.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing is a face View of a block showing the terminal plates electrically connected according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same with the terminal plates connected.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the block with the terminal plates disconnected.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing the terminal plates disconnected.

Fig. 5 and Fig. 5A show side views of the connector as it may be used, that is, with the member having the spherical surface either up or down.

Fig. 6 and Fig. 6A show side views of a modied form of connector that may be used either up or down, in this case the member with the spherical surface is threaded on the stem instead of the nut as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 and Fig. 7A show a section and a top View of a spherical connecting member.

The block shown has a base l of insulating material with a conducting plate 2 anda conducting plate 3 fastened to the front face with their inner adjacent ends in alignment and spaced from each other. Preferably the inner end of the plate 2 is square across, and the inner end of the plate 3 is longitudinally slotted. A screw 4 and a nut 5 may be provided for securing one circuit terminal to the plate 2 and a post 6 with a socketed binding screw 'i may be arranged for securing the other circuit terminal to the plate 3 and also providing means for the connection of a test terminal.

The connector comprises a threaded stem 8, a member 9 having a spherical surface, and a nut lll or part with a iiat face.

In the form iirst shown the member 9 is formed integral with one end of the threaded stem 3 and the nut Il) is screwed upon the other end. As illustrated the stem is located in the space between the terminal plates with the spherical member inside and the nut outside. To make an electrical connection between the terminal plates the connector is moved up and the nut turned so that the plate ends will be clamped between it and the spherical member as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. To disconnect the plates the nut is loosened and the connector dropped, the stem entering the slot in the end of the lower plate, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. In this case the periphery of the spherical member is made angular, preferably heXangular, so that it will engage walls of the recess in the base in which it is located and not turn when the nut is turned. The parts, if desired, may be reversed from the positions above described, that is, the spherical member could be located on the outside and the nut inside of the terminal plates.

The member with the flat inner surface may be formed integral with the threaded stem and the member with the spherical surface threaded onto the stem, as shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 6A. With this construction the spherical member may be located either on the inside or outside of the terminal plates.

Due to the spherical shape of one member there is a three-point bearing of that member against the ends of the terminal plates, two points bearing against the forked terminal plate and one against the other terminal plate, which enables the other member to be brought flat against the surfaces of the plates and thus ensure eflicient electrical contact. The spherical surface of one member also causes the parts to center when they are clamped together.

One circuit terminal may be secured to the plate 2 by the nut 5 and the other circuit terf screw 1 and post 6. As mentioned the bindingY screw is socketed to permit the plugging in of the terminal of a ytesting means. Any required number of the electrical paths above` described may be mounted on a single base. f

'Ihe invention claimed is;-

1. An electrical connection block'having a base, conducting plates mounted on the base with their l adjacent ends aligned and spaced from each other, and a conducting connector, said connector comprising a threaded stem extending through the space between the plate ends and having a member with a spherical surface adapted to be engaged with one side of the plate ends and a other, and a conducting connector, said confnector comprising a threaded stem extending through the space between the plate ends, a i

member integralwith said stem and having a spherical surface adapted to be engaged with one side of the plate ends, and a member threaded on said stem and having a flat surface adapted to be engaged with the other side of the platev ends.

3. An electrical connection block having a base, conducting plates mounted on the basewith their adjacent ends aligned and spaced from each other, and a conducting connector, said con-A nector comprising Aa threaded stem extending through the space between the plate ends,a mem- .ber threaded on said Vstern and having a spherical surface adapted to be engaged with one side of the plate ends, and a member integral withYA Y said stem andhaving a at surface adapted to be engaged with the other side of the plate ends.

HENRY J'. BLAKESLEE. 

